Tag: grace

Discernment

Warning: Long fear shame rant.

As Christians, can we just stop claiming everyone has a spirit of fear if that person feels “OFF” or negatively “AWARE” of something and we don’t?

Next time you want to spank someone for “fear” why don’t you first stop the judgment and offer to pray to see what God is saying about the situation?

At times, I have been accused of having a spirit of fear, meaning I was being paranoid about nothing. The person I was speaking to wasn’t on the same channel as me. Then later I found out I was right. It truly was something or SOMEONE that I needed to stop, drop, avoid or take spiritual authority over.

30 years ago when I was an atheist, I frequented a Burger King by my apartment. I kept telling people there was something off about the guy at the drive-thru window. One late night, as I handed him my money, I locked eyes with him and we both jumped! I some how knew he was evil, and he knew he was busted!

2 days later, on a local news channel, they showed him being arrested at his job for murdering his girlfriend and disposing of her body several months earlier. God was even showing me back then what was up.

Fast forward 5 years ago, I was the last person to leave work and was locking up when a man walked into the building with his 5-year-old daughter looking for a catalog of our products. He told me he was in the area and wanted to add some of our products to his very successful internet store. I got creeped out even though he was with his daughter and told him to come back in the morning.

I told some friends later that I felt like he was lying and they were like Jeanne! He came in with a kid! Yes, and Ted Bundy was an attractive man with a fake cast on his arm. Not everything is as it appears to be.

Several days later, he was on the local news as the police were looking for him. He was from New York and was running some local scam listing and selling products from high-end manufacturers that he never shipped.

God has given us our emotions for a reason. Sometimes the fear or “heightened awareness” you feel is truly from God and warranted, even if other people don’t agree with you.

Or the fear is a warning.
Or a time for discernment.
Or maybe it’s false and trying to stop you from what God has planned for you.

But…FEAR is always a reason to stop, discern, and take action. Even if that action is to send the false fear away.

Ask God for discernment and what YOU should do next. Just because another person doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean God isn’t speaking directly to YOU about the situation.

Several times in the last month I have MISSED it, because I let others talk me out of what I was picking up. MISSED IT!!!!!!

Don’t ignore your Spiritual Spidey Sense

Sometimes it isn’t FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.

Fear shame rant over peeps!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mama Bears!

This Just Sucks

April 22 2017

It was shortly after midnight when the night nurse walked in and introduced herself. “How are you doing?”

I grunted ” This just sucks!”.

She laughed, ” Yes it does !”

I thought she must not of heard me because she certainly wasn’t being very compassionate.” 😊 I repeated ” THIS JUST SUCKS!”

She laughed “Yes, it does!”

Me:”Well thanks for agreeing with me!”

Then we both started laughing! After that she started to tell about others she had seen moving quickly through the tough physical rehab and getting on with their lives after a traumatic car accident.

Sometimes before we start spewing Bible verses OR earthly or Godly wisdom we need to just connect with the person that is hurting. We need to momentarily connect with their fear, pain, hopelessness, depression, or anger. Doing that isn’t giving into the devil.

She wasn’t another person that wanted to rush in with a peptalk on how it wasn’t so bad and make light of my feelings. . I would be confined to a wheel chair for the next couple of months. She just got on my level and momentarily agreed with me.

Today, Pastor Aaron stopped by and let me get all of those emotions out, before he started giving me some solutions on moving forward.

Rick and Nancy stopped by and held my hand as I cried about my situation so I could get it out of my system.

We all are in such a big hurry to get people moving on with their healing that we bypass that part of them that needs to see the reality of how THEY FEEL about their situation so that they can see that God is so much greater and can and WILL bring a much better outcome. That He will supply all the energy and resources needed during their journey.

It’s funny that when we are in pain , someone most surely will tell you that you shouldn’t be. Specially if you’re Christian. We want to argue. This is my pain! Can’t you see I’m in pain? Don’t tell me I don’t have it!

Sad, but as humans that’s how we automatically react.

Anyway for those of you who have family or friends who are going through things right now, no matter where they are in it, momentarily connect and agree with them. When you do, you’ll see the switch and then you can start to offer solutions and options.

I feel like somebody needs to read this today. Like they’ve been fighting with someone to see the good side of their problem and they’re forgetting there’s a person with feelings attached to it.

Have a great Saturday peeps!

Sonlight

Never fails to amaze me how tulips will bend and reach towards the sunlight.

Reminds me of people. God usually sends me atheists, new agers, unbelieving believers, or those who have been hurt by the church. I have found that deep down everyone wants proof that there is a God. A real time God who knows them by name. Easier to bend and reach for the light of the Son if you know you are loved and accepted. Without judgement. Regardless of how long you have hated or denied the existence of He who has created you.

Never too late…. Lord open my eyes and heart to you and your goodness!

Babies From Ashes

The following is a story from my friend Tamara… Beauty from ashes over and over and over……

One of my friends kept trying to get pregnant and eventually just could not medically try anymore. While she lay in ICU she was wheeled to a recovery room and shared a room with a woman. The woman began to talk to her and as they talked the woman said, ” Do you want a baby, my daughter is about to have a baby and doesn’t want it?
My friend did not know what was happening because it was so fast that she and her husband took foster care classes and became the foster parents to a newborn that they watched come into the world.
Over time they became one of the top foster care families in the county. And now have officially adopted five.
They became known as the couple who has so much love to share that babies healed when placed with them. Children have had legs become straight, and be healed mentally and emotionally.
If you ask my friend she would say God called her to motherhood. She knew she was supposed to be a mother. She just didn’t know how it would happen. To God be the Glory it is happening. 🔥🙌💕

Elvis

5 pm: I parked my car and walked slowly towards the nursing home entrance. I wanted to pray over my cousin Susie and wasn’t sure how my Auntie Evonne and several other family members would react. I decided I would just pray quietly so it wouldn’t offend anyone.

I introduced myself to the first nurse I saw and told her I was looking for my aunt. She flashed me a huge smile “Oh you just missed them! Your aunt and her granddaughter just left for dinner 20 minutes ago, but they’ll be back.”

Yay! I’m alone and can pray in tongues now!

“Ok. I’d like to see my cousin Susie Johnson. What room is she in?”

“Hmmm I don’t think she is here. I think she is gone, but let me check her room”

As I waited for the nurse to return, I glanced down both long hallways looking for any sign of residents. It was so quiet that I figured since it was dinner time that they must all be in the dining room.

The nurse reappeared from a room with an armful of towels “ Yes. She’s gone.”

“Gone? For dinner?”

The nurse smiled ” No, no ….as in passed on. I think she left right after your aunt did, but you can go in and see her if you want. Room 102” Then she turned around and walked away.

I was like WTH? Passed on? Nurse Jackie just said “gone” like my cousin was only temporarily preoccupied. Maybe away dining on some gravy lathered mystery meat. Or in the shower. I then got on the phone to call my aunt and cousins to tell them that sadly Elvis had already left the building. Evonne replied “ Ok, well we haven’t ordered yet so it will be awhile”. What? Was I the only one distressed?

After the calls, I walked into Susie’s room and laid my hands on her feet and briefly prayed. I didn’t know about dead raising back then so I didn’t stay long. I finished my prayers and then apologized that I hadn’t gotten there earlier.

As I walked out Nurse Jackie waved to me and called out” Have a nice evening ! I’ll tell Evonne you were here!”

Today, I relayed this old story to my cousin Tom and we both started laughing! Like hysterically laughing! Isn’t that terrible! He said “they must see so much death that it no longer affects them.” Maybe.

I still wish I would have gotten there earlier. Time here is short. Please never pass up an opportunity to pray with someone.  Or tell them you and Big Sky Daddy loves them. Even if it’s by phone or text. Some day we will all leave the building and only the living will have regrets.

Make it a great week peeps!

Do You

A friend commented once, “Well, a person can always tell where they stand with you. If you didn’t like me it would be glaringly obvious!” I was surprised as I always thought I had a poker face. This was years ago and when I relayed the story to my therapist, he laughed.

My. Therapist. Laughed.

Dr.L, “Oh, sorry…you’re serious! No, I would say that is not true. You wear your heart on your sleeve and your annoyance definitely on your face!” “”I do?” I laughed today as I thought about this. We can all be so clueless about ourselves.

As I get older I have just made peace with myself. I will never be blonde or petite. Never be patient. Never be calm 24/7. Especially not in a drive-thru. What you see is what you get …..for right now. But I am totally ok with that. Are you? With you? Ha! I hope you are all nodding; Why, yes. Yes, I am.

You might be thinking “New man! New man in Christ, Jeanne. Stop speaking that old you back from the dead.”

Oh my, close that pie hole, beloved! (See right there I stopped myself from using more fun and colorful words!). If you knew me years ago, you would see that a lot of me has changed. For the better.

Part of moving on from the old man is not continuing to spank yourself because you aren’t 100% perfect. And may never be! Stop going back and reliving bad stories about yourself. Unless it’s a testimony to give God glory or a good laugh because you aren’t that person anymore. Be thankful, FB and Return Of The Karens on Youtube wasn’t invented when you were doing stupid #$%$.

Aggh see there I go again….

God’s Garden

One plants, one waters, one harvests.

We need to stop thinking that we have to do it all or we aren’t a true son. That unless, in a single encounter, we can make Jesus real, score a “sinners prayer” and build a Holy Spirit down line that we are failures!

Andrew was the first of the apostles to share his faith and bring another to Christ. Andrew’s testimony touched Peter who then went on to become one of the most influential apostles. Peter wrote 2 books of the Bible and brought thousands to Christ thru Holy Spirit signs and wonders! I don’t recall a book of Andrew in my ESV, but without Andrew there would be no Peter.

I’ve had people tell me there is no way they could do what I do. Nice pat on the back and I wish I could take more credit. But, I told God a long time ago that He had to land them in my lap and then light ‘em up. No guessing who He wants to chat with. Then fill my mouth with His words. His love. His healing. With no Mall Police escort out of the building. I am not kidding 🙂

You see I don’t like to be bothered when I am shopping. Or dining. Or getting a mammogram. If you know me well, you know that I get panicked in crowds. And the first thing I look for when I enter a room is the exit.

But when God turns on the light I get out of the way and He shines. Not me. I don’t have to do anything but repeat what He tells me.

Le Him decide what part you and I play in His garden.

Have a lovely week, Beloveds!
Andy

Holy Hat Trick

It has been stressful looking for a car after mine was totaled in a recent accident. Thursday, I was even up all night looking at cars online. A photo listing kept popping up of a RAV4 that looked faded like it had sat out in the sun for a couple of years. it was also an odd color. Like the color of an old Eggplant. I could see what looked like dirt or dents on the hood and bald tires. That was probably why the car hadn’t sold and the price had dropped several times in the past month. I couldn’t understand why it kept coming up! NOPE. Unless it’s free, that ain’t my car. I imagined my friends asking me if I was in the witness protection program and sending me Eggplant emojis… 😉

I was so overwhelmed looking at cars that I finally gave in and set up an appointment to see the Eggplant as I needed to start somewhere. A saleswoman at the dealership emailed me back and set up a test drive for the next day, which was Saturday. As I was getting ready for bed, I was surprised when God started downloading a word for the saleswoman. I rarely get a long WOK or Prophecy prior to meeting someone. “God if this is you, I won’t remember all of this tomorrow!” God laughed “No, but I will.” Ok. I decided I would wait until we were done looking at cars as I didn’t want it to hinder any negotiations if I saw a car I was interested in. I just knew I wasn’t driving the Eggplant home.

When I woke up I didn’t want to go. I was tired and not excited about being trapped at a car dealer on a busy Saturday. I decided to text “Sherri” and change our meeting to Monday instead. Of course, God had other plans and He soon put my shoes on and drove me to the dealership.

As I pulled out of the parking lot to take the car for a test drive God said “tell her NOW.” I was too tired to argue with Big Sky Daddy and let it rip, “Sherri, I know this is weird but God told me last night that you really should be in the finance department so you can have better hours and make more money. Are you a single parent or have a lot of people you are responsible for? God wants to make things easier for you this year.” I went on to tell her that her coworkers loved her and that she was a bright light at work. She was a hard worker, went over and above, and was very direct. It was a lengthy word and I won’t bore you with the rest BUT…she starts crying! I am test-driving a car and the salesperson is CRYING!

She said, “how did you know all this?” I said, “God told me last night.” She said “there is no way you would know this! I cried on my way to work today and told my manager when I got in that there is an opening in finance and I want it. My daughter decided she is moving to Texas with my brother and leaving today. She is also leaving my two grandchildren with me to take care of. She can’t handle them anymore. They are 1 and 3. You don’t even know how much I needed to hear this today!” Now I started to tear up and took the next exit, “Wow. Ok, I’ll take the car. I know God set up this whole day for the both of us.”

So we went back and sat down to start the paperwork. Sherri kept telling me how blown away she was. Then she found her manager and asked me to tell her what God had said to me. The manager smiled and kept nodding her head. She is a believer too and remarked, “Yes when it comes to God there are no coincidences.” Then another employee got introduced to me and I gave him a word. I said ” Do you like your job? Because God is telling me that you are in the perfect place for you right now.” He smiled ” Great, I think so too. Besides, I was in car sales for a while and I sucked at it.” He then asked me if I was a psychic or if I gave readings. This is ALWAYS a fun one to answer.

I finally ended up in the finance office with two managers, one of them I’ll call Pete. “Pete,” asked me what I did now that I was retired. “Hmmm. Working on a book and I am in ministry. “Really?” “Yes” So Pete leaves the office and when he came back asked again, “Are you really in ministry?” “Yes” Apparently, the red hair must just throw people off as no one ever believes me 🙂. He left the office again and came back in and asked if I was a minister would I pray for him as he really needed it. “Ok, I’ll do it now”. Pete started to kind of freak out because he wasn’t expecting that. People always expect you to say yes, but forget later to pray. Why wait? 🙂 I winked at him as I assured him I wasn’t going to read his mail. Even though God showed me generally what was going on with Pete, He put these words in my mouth ” God is telling me that you regret moving here. You wonder if you made a huge mistake. But God is going to smooth everything out for you. No matter what it looks like now. You also need to stop worrying about money. God is also going to heal a relationship that you have been struggling with for quite a while this year.” Pete’s mouth dropped open and his eyes teared up for a heartbeat. It was so beautiful to witness. You can always tell when God has connected with someone’s heart because you don’t have to give out any more details. The Holy Spirit is a big boy and can handle it from there. Pete thanked me numerous times and told me how much he needed to hear from God today.

I finally got home at 5pm and sat for 2 hours unpacking what had just happened. I was more excited by Big Sky Daddy’s Hat Trick than I was about my new car! I wondered what God’s kids told their friends and family later. Sharing God’s love in action always has a ripple effect. Good reminder to share your stories.

Oh, and my car looks nothing like the photo. Clean and scratch-free, inside and out. New tires. Low mileage. MN Viking Purple. It is perfect and was waiting for me.

It was a God-awesome Saturday! This stuff NEVER gets old!

Imperfect

Sometimes I wonder how I can even be in ministry. I admit I can be terrible. Especially when I am really angry or afraid. I won’t even be fully aware of spontaneously dropping F-bombs. Rapid fire, machine gun F BOMBS! 🙂 I like to blame it on my red hair. Or the devil. It definitely isn’t His spirit in me 🙂. My therapist told me a long time ago that I need to make peace with my sometimes “highly excitable personality.” Yikes. Why can’t I just be a new person in Christ and stay there?

I was recently in a car accident. It was a shocker because I didn’t see the other car. I heard a loud bang and then saw a grey blur of metal as the impact spun my car a 180. It all happened in a heartbeat! I sat in my car shaking. What just happened? I looked down and I had red marks across my chest from the seatbelt and my left thumb was already turning colors. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw that the other driver looked much older than me. Was she okay? I was shocked and sat frozen, unable to get out of my car and access the situation. I finally caught my breath and called 911 and told them there had been an accident.

Where are you located?

I am not sure. I’m really rattled. In Maple Grove. By Walmart. Across from Valvoline. By Starbucks. That side.

Where are you? Southbound? Northbound? What road?.

Uh Uh Uh, Southbound.

I started to hyperventilate. I couldn’t recall the name of the road even though I probably drive it every day. I continued to tell her the landmarks, a block from X highway etc. and she starts screaming at me!

SCREAMING!!!

MAAM! WHY DON’T YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE? YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHERE YOU ARE DRIVING!!! YOU NEED TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE STREETS YOU ARE DRIVING ON AT ALL TIMES!!! YOU NEED TO….

Her screaming was not making me think any clearer. I’m thinking, why are you yelling at me? Lady, you have no idea if I have a head injury or if my breast is cut off. Hmmm Maybe I hit my head and am worse than I realized! Now I am really panicked so I start screaming back….

Me: What the F$#@$!##@!!!!! I am rattled! I am trying to F@#$#@-ing tell you where I am and F@#$##……

OP: Stop yelling at me! Stop swearing at Me!

Me: You stop yelling at me!!!!! I’m sorry but aren’t you supposed to be the calm one? You aren’t helping this……

I mistakenly gave her the name of a street across the highway from me and she says “No you aren’t there you are on X !!!” Ahhhh….so she knew all along. 🙂 Ha! Maybe she was trying to find out if I had been day drinking.

OP: Are you blocking a lane?

Me: We are off to the side of the road and cars are going around us.

OP: THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM ASKING YOU!!!!!!! ARE YOU…..

This exchange goes on for a couple more minutes and then she finally screams “ YES YOU ARE BLOCKING A LANE!!!!! WAIT FOR AN OFFICER!!!!” Then hangs up on me. I’m thinking, don’t leave? I can’t even talk right now. I then decided to reach out for prayer so I could calm the F@$@#$# down.

We both were obviously not having a good day and she was just trying to quickly assess the situation. I cannot imagine this exchange if it was a murder scene or an abduction. Later, I told the officer that the 911 OP was a real @#$#@#. He just smiled. Hmmm, Maybe he knows her. 🙂 My sister, who showed up to help later said to me “ Do you realize when you said that he had his body cam on?”

OOPS. God is still working on this Redhead, but that doesn’t stop Him from using me. Or you.

Forgive yourself for not being perfect. Only Big Sky Daddy is perfect and He already loves and adores you. Even if you spontaneously drop an F@#$#%%.

Jared

Our young server squatted down at our table to take our order. The restaurant was packed and very noisy so maybe it made it easier to hear us. When he quickly bounced up to go grab our drinks, my sister Carolyn told “Jared” to appreciate how easily he could do that now as when you get to our age it is hard to just get out of bed some mornings. I suddenly blurted out “Are you a dancer? God is showing me a picture of you dancing.” Jared, who barely looked 18, flashed an awkward smile like….where is this going? and replied,” Yes, sometimes.” He looked like a deer in headlights, frozen in place, as I started to give him a word. Carolyn reassuringly interrupted with “she is in ministry and does this all the time.” As in, no your parents didn’t send us here. Ha!

Even though the restaurant was busy, he stayed and listened to what God was saying about him. He looked intrigued until suddenly a look of fear went over his face. Like I was going to read his mail or give some corrections. God whispered “Tell Jared that I love him. Just as he is. That he does not need to be anyone else but himself”

When I relayed this to him, Jared’s smile quickly returned and I saw a lightbulb go off. That for some reason Jared needed to hear those words. God then told me why, but I won’t share that with you :).

We paid our bill at our table and as we were leaving, Jared stopped us “Thank you, ladies! And thanks for the word and God bless you.” I was surprised that he knew the lingo. Must be or have been, at some point, a pentecostal churchgoer.

As I drove away, I felt a sweetness in my heart for Jared. And also for Big Sky Daddy. A good reminder that as believers we are spirit in a body. His spirit. You are connected to the Father at all times and you really do hear from Him. You can help change and heal this world one person at a time. The bible states that believers shall lay hands on the sick and they will recover. That also includes hearing His voice to help yourself or others emotionally heal. How awesome to be used by Him! To help His children see His love for them as you release love, hope, and encouragement. When a word hits home it brings the reality of God to the receiver. That Daddy God knows them intimately and cares deeply. Even if you are already a believer there is nothing sweeter than to see a REAL TIME GOD IN ACTION! This stuff never gets old. For the giver or the receiver.

Please step out when you get prompted. I assure you, it only gets easier and it will help build your faith too. Oh and always leave a great tip, Beloveds. Big Sky Daddy ain’t cheap and ministry is NEVER the tip.